The Monk's Kettle

Oh!

The wonders of the brew kettle pouring at Monk's Kettle in San Francisco!

We visited Monk's Kettle the weekend last and while it's undergoing some outside work, it's open and definitely worth the longish bus ride (for us) and scaffold navigation to scoot inside for a chance to try some really great beers.

It's located in the friendly-peopled Mission section on 16th between Guerrero and Valencia and a very few short skips from the 49 bus route.

(If you're in town visiting for a few days, pony up for the MUNI Visitor Passport transportation pass. Available in 1, 3 and 7 day variants for $13, $20, and $26 respectively. Since cable car fares are $5.00 per and buses $2.00 per, it's easy to see their worth getting around the city.)

The bar is spotless and the ladies restroom is exceptional according to S: clean, candle-lit, and perfumed.

Draught and bottle lists: also exceptional. Not too many run of the mill beers on here. Beer menu organized by style which is always nice.

The Food menu looks awesome but we can't vouch for taste as we only stopped for a quick one, while out and about doing the tourist thing.

The bartender D, is a cicerone and really knew his beer and was able to please an always finicky S who's usual request is for something not too hoppy and light.

Seeing how it was a mid-70s day again, D suggested and S agreed on a real winner which neither of us had every tried before: Blanche de Bruxelles Brasserie Lefebvre SA, Rebecq Quenast, coming in at a fruity 4.5% ABV. And served in the Brasserie's recommended glassware.

Light, crisp, refreshing and had we more time, we'd surely have had another. And another.

I opted for a change of pace beer and asked for what turned out to be a super-creamy Fuller's London Porter whose taste reminded me of my childhood when I was precociously quaffing my go-to beverage of that period: Nestle's chocolate milk!

Deeeeeeeeeelicious!

Bar-top constructed of what I believe is a single Ponderosa or Sugar Pine plank, perhaps 20 inches wide. Beautiful! Shallow back-bar framed by a mansion-sized fireplace surround. Nice.

This is a casually upscale bar, read: not your everyday dive bar, and as such is the perfect place to take your lady friends to turn them on.

To some great beers, too.

N.B. There is no wine or hard liquor served here.